Fun and Games

I have been sorting out activities for out home ed Book Club this month. We are looking at The World According to Humphrey by Betty G Birney. I have prepared a crossword and am going to take pastry ingredients along for baking Humphrey scones. I have also made a board game which I'm ever so pleased with as I think it has great potential for us to use at home across a wide range of themes.

This is the basic board I made. Rather arty eh? No? Well at least I managed to use up all the paint scraps left in pots from Miles' mega paitning session yesterday. That is Miles standing on it. No respect for my efforts *rolls eyes*.

I need to stick on a start point. I'm also going to add some stickers which say 'miss a turn', 'return to go', 'loose a token' etc. The idea then is that you roll the dice and if you land on a square with a dot you get to answer a question (which has been prepared in advance with a sheet of questions and answers) - in this case about The World According to Humphrey but could be about any book or topic. If you get it right you receive a token. When you have ten tokens you are the winner. I know it's not exactly rocket science but I'm pleased with this and can foresee the use of our basic board game in our water cycle studies and possibly even our ongoing world war 2 explorations.

We went to a Zoolab Workshop today. Miles stroked a rat, snake and cockroach. Hermione could only be tempted to touch the rat. I don't *do* touching. I struggled as ever with the whole issue over caged animals and the opportunities for children to learn.

Our bedraggled hanging baskets are fresh and blooming again. Bursting with colourful primulas. I'm really pleased. Dead hanging baskets are unsightly.

You know I mentioned a week or so ago that I was hoping to grow ornamental gourds with the children this year? Well I decided to ask on our local home ed lists if anyone would like to share the seed order with me so that it would be cheaper and we could try more varieties. I've already had one response so I'm ever so pleased. One friend in particular has lectured me for years about the need to ask for help and about being open to receiving life's blessings. I think I'm finally getting the message and agree that it does make life so much easier and fulfilling.

On the not so bright side Miles has a hospital appointment tomorrow. I say we have an appointment but actually we have been told we must be there for 9.30 am and *should* (not *will*) be seen before 12.30pm. Not looking forward to having to find the place (it's not our local hospital) and then entertain a three year old in a hospital waiting room for what could turn into hours on end - then to be topped off with what I have been advised could be a rather unpleasant experience. Arrrghhhh! I think I'll need to pack lots of toys, snacks and chill pills!